Sunderland roofer convicted of cheating clients to be sentenced at Crown Court

Kevin Clark

A Sunderland builder who was convicted of overcharging clients and placing a misleading advert is to be sentenced at crown court.

Gary Anthony Young, who traded as Marley Roofcare Ltd, failed to appear at Sunderland Magistrates’ Court earlier this month and was convicted in his absence of five offences of knowingly or recklessly engaging in a commercial practice and one of placing a misleading advert.

Mr Young has instructed me that he is intending to appeal these matters, certainly to the crown court.

Bushra Begum

He appeared yesterday for sentence, but magistrates decided to send the case to crown court, which has greater sentencing powers.

Prosecutor Jim Wotherspoon told the court compensation totalling almost £10,000 was sought for the five commercial practice offences.

The sixth charge related to a newspaper ad wrongly bearing the ‘Checked and Vetted’ logo.

Bushra Begum, for Young, whose firm traded from Peacock Street, Sunderland, said he accepted he was responsible for missing the trial.

She said: “Mr Young accepts responsibility, that he had misunderstood or had been mistaken in his understanding of when he was due to appear in court.”

On one charge, he accepted taking a £400 payment on behalf of a firm he had been working with but did not check the work had been done.

“He did not think it was something he was responsible for, but accepts the work was not carried out,” said Ms Begum.

She said it was Young’s case that he had carried out all the work he quoted for himself and he intended to produce evidence to prove it.

“Mr Young has instructed me that he is intending to appeal these matters, certainly to the crown court.”

Young believed the other firm was responsible for the advert referring to ‘Checked and Vetted’ and mentioning Marley Roofcare.

“A significant number of adverts were taken,” said Ms Begum. “In the ones he has taken himself, he has made no mention of ‘Checked and Vetted’.”

The case was committed to Newcastle Crown Court on April 26 and Young, 52, was released on unconditional bail.